Blower wheel



Nov. 29, 1960 R- MAYNE. 2,962,207

BLOWER WHEEL Filed Aug. 23, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EOKEETflMAIYNE H/S arrow/5Y5 Nov. 29, 1960 R. A. MAYNE BLOWER WHEEL 3Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed Aug. 23, 1957 Jill 5 14/5 flTTOEA/EVS Nov. 29, 1960 R. A. MAYNE2,962,207

BLOWER WHEEL Filed Aug. 23, .1957

'3 Shets-Sheet 5 JIE. 9

INVENTOR. 20552 T A7. MKZVNE BY g United States Patent BLOWER WHEELRobert A. Mayne, 42 Forrer Road, Dayton 9, Ohio Filed Aug. 23, 1957,Ser. No. 679,885 6 Claims. (Cl. 230-134) This invention pertains to ablower wheel and more particularly to a blower wheel of the centrifugaltype.

An object of this invention is to produce a blower wheel made from sheetmetal stampings that are easily assembled, resulting in a .dependablewheel that is efficient in performance; that is easily balanced and thatis inexpensive.

Another object of this invention is to provide a centrifugal type ofblower wheel wherein the blades and the end disc are made from twopieces of stampings, one half of the blades being integral with an enddisc, which is also used to support the blower wheel, and the other halfof the blades being integral with a ring surrounding the intake openingof the Wheel.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, thecombination thereof, the method of manufacture and the mode ofoperation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view looking into the blades of thefinished blower wheel.

Figure 2 .is an end view of .the blower wheel as viewed from the rightof Figure 1. A

Figure 3 is an end view of the blower wheel showing the intake openingof the blower wheel, and as viewed from the left of Figure 1. i A

Figure 4 is a sheet metal stamping stamped from a piece of sheet metal,used in forming one of the members used in the manufacture of blowerwheels.

Figure 5 is a view as seen from one edge of the stamping shown in Figure4 after the extensions forming the bladeelements have been curved.

Figure 6 is an end view ofone of the stampingsafter the extensions usedin forming the blades have been deflected through 90 from the positionshown in Figures4and5.

Figure 7 is an end view of the stamping as seen from the right of Figure6.

Figure 8 is an end view of another stamping used in manufacturing theblower wheel, as viewed after the extensions used in forming the bladeshave been deflected at right angles to the plane of the original sheetmetal blank.

Figure 9 is another view of the blank as seen from the right of Figure8.

This blower wheel is manufactured from two pieces of sheet metal halves,one half of the blades being integral with one stamping and the otherhalf integral with the other stamping.

As may best be seen by referring to Figure 4, a blank is stamped from apiece of sheet metal. This blank includes a disc like annular supportingportion 12 provided with a centrally disposed hole 14. The blankcontains a plurality of extensions 16. In the particular stamping shownin Figure 4, there are 12 of these extentions. Each of the extensionsterminates in a tab 18. These extensions 16 form a substantially 60angle with respect to the tangent of the disc 12. A substantiallytriangular connecting portion 20 is located between the main body of theextension 16 and the vdisc 12. As best seen in Figure 4, a neck portionextending substantially along a line 42 is narrower than the total widthof the blade 30. While the stamping 10 is in the flat position, it isplaced in a forming die so as to curve the extensions 16, as clearlyseen in Figure 5. The contour or curvature of the extension 16 isidentical to the desired curvature of the blades 30 found in the blowerwheel shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The pitch or radius of curvature ofall the blades are the same. At the same time that the extensions 16 arecurved, the stamping 10 is provided with ribs 32 so as to reinforce thedisc portion 12. The second stamping 10a used in forming the blowerwheel is identical to the stamping 10 as far "as the extensions 16 areconcerned. The only difference between the .two stampings resides in thecenter portion. Instead of a round hole 14 as shown in Figure 4, a largeopening 34 is found in the second stamping 10a. So that in reality, theextensions 16, of the second stamping, are supported on the ring portion36. As shown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 9, the inner margin of the.ring portion 36 is curved inwardly at 38 so that the ring 36 isdesigned to have a venturi effect, or to provide a smooth path for theair to flow into the finished blower wheel when in use. Each of thestampings 10 and 10a is provided with small ovate openings 40 located inthe triangular connecting portions or extensions 20, as clearly shown inthe drawings. There being as many openings 40 as there are extensions orblades .in each stamping.

After the extensions 16 have been curved as shown in Figure 5, theseextensions are bent so that the extensions project at right angles tothe disc portion 12 and the ring portion 36. These extensions are bentsubstantially along the line 42 that forms a 30 angle with respect tothe radius .44, as shown in Figure 4. 'When it is stated that theextensions are bent along the line 42 this is merely an approximation,in that the blades are curved, and the blades may be bent along thecurved line rather than the straight line. The blades and the disc 12,after the extensions have been bent so as to formlthe blades 30, areshown in Figures 6 and 7. The end ring 36 and the ext'ensions, bent atright angles to form blades 30, are shown .in Figures 8 and 9. The :twostampings 10 and 10a are now ready to be assembled into'a blower wheel.The blades 30 of'one stamp ing are slipped in .endwaysbetween the blades30 of the other stamping. The .tabs 18 projecting through the openings.40 of .the ,opposite stamping. These tabs are bent at right angles 86'asto be folded against the disc 12 or the ring 36 as the case may be.The two stampings are thereby locked together, as clearly shown inFigures 1, 2 and 3. For some purposes the tabs 18 when folded may bespot Welded to the disc 12 or to the ring 36 so as to give greaterrigidity to the blower wheel.

The curvature of blades of one stamping correspond to the curvature ofblades of the other stamping so that the blades are, so to speak,parallel to each other when the stampings are assembled into a blowerwheel.

It is not feasible to mount the disc 12 directly ona shaft without somehub arrangement. This may consist of a die cast hub, a machined hub, orit may consist of sheet metal parts formed from stampings. The type ofhub used is immaterial, as far as the structure of the blower blades andthe method of manufacturing the blades is concerned.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3, a hub 50 may have been staked in position.Instead of staking the hub it may have the margins spun against thedisc, or it may be die cast in position. Suitable set screws 52 may beprovided to: lock the hub on a shaft.

From the disclosure herein, it can readily be seen that ample blade areahas been provided for an efiicient blower wheel. The number of bladesmay be varied to suit the particular requirements. By having one half ofthe blades integral with one stamping and the other half of the bladesintegral with the other stamping, the blades being interleaved, asufiicient number of blades may be provided for efficient operation of ablower wheel. The particular blower wheel shown herein is generallyreferred to as a single inlet wheel, that is, all of the air is drawn infrom one end of the blower through the large opening 34 in the ring 36.Furthermore, by curving the inner margin of the ring, air is drawn infrom a large area so as to be propelled by the blower blades.

Instead of the ring 36 in the disc 12 being located in opposite ends,the ring 36 could be provided with arcuate grooves for the bladesintegral with the stamping 12, the ring 36 can then be inserted so as toabut the inner side of the disc 12, a ring or retaining means could beused for supporting the outer ends of the blades.

Two of these blower wheels may be used to form a double inlet wheel bymerely butting the disc of one wheel 12 against a disc of a like wheel.In that event, the ribs 32 would be eliminated on the outside disc butcould be provided inside of the disc.

Instead of using two stampings, like those shown in the drawings, one ofthe stampings may consist of a cup-shaped member drawn from a piece ofsheet metal, the cup-shaped member having blades struck inwardly fromthe periphery thereof. The other stamping may be similar to the stampinga provided with a large opening. The blades of the stamping areinterleaved with the inwardly struck blades of the cup-shaped member soas to double the blade area. By this arrangement, a blower wheelutilizing a cup-shaped member with blades integral therewith togetherwith a stamping produces a blower wheel having greater efficiency andmuch greater blade area than in a blower wheel without the use of astamping.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, itwill be understood that within the purview of this invention variouschanges may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement ofparts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generallystated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects setforth, as disclosed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A blower wheel including two stampings, each of said stampingsincluding a substantially circular supporting structure, a plurality ofsubstantially triangular connecting portions projecting outwardly fromeach of the supporting structures, each of said triangular portionshaving an aperture, and a plurality of equally spaced blower bladesextending at right angles from the triangular portions, there being oneblade for each triangular portion, the blades of the two stampings beinginterleaved so that every other blade projects from the triangularportions of one stamping, the remaining blades from the other stamping,the end of each blade being provided with a tab, the two stampings beingspaced apart axially and in opposed relation so that the tabs on bladesof one stamping project through the apertures in the triangular portionsof the other stamping and interlocked therewith, the blades of bothstampings lying beyond the substantially circular supporting structures.

2. A blower wheel including two stampings, each of said stampingsincluding a substantially circular supporting structure, a plurality ofsubstantially triangular connecting portions projecting outwardly fromeach of the supportingstructures, and a plurality of equally spacedblower blades extending at right angles from the triangular portions,there being one blade for each triangular portion, the two stampingsbeing spaced apart axially and in opposed relation, the blades of thetwo stampings being interleaved so that every other blade projects fromthe triangular portions of one stamping to the triangular portion of theother stamping, the remaining blades from the other stamping in likemanner, the ends of the blades of one stamping being fixedly secured totriangular portions of the other stamping, the blades of both stampingslying beyond the substantially circular supporting structure.

3. A blower Wheel according to claim 2, wherein the blower blades have acurved cross sectional area.

4. A blower wheel according to claim 2, wherein one of the circularsupporting structures consists of a ring having a hollow air passage.

5. A blower wheel according to claim 2, wherein the blades of eachstamping are provided with tabs extending substantially at right anglesto the main body of the blades and fixedly attached to the triangularportions of the other stamping.

6. A blower wheel according to claim 2, wherein the portion joining theblade to its triangular portion is narrower than the width of the blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,734,541 Tedman Nov. 5, 1929 1,827,316 Haynsworth Oct. 13, 19312,272,695 Evans Feb. 10, 1942 2,362,868 Upson Nov. 14, 1944 2,785,850Sprouse Mar. 19, 1957 new... I

